Chocolate Chip Butter Cookies with Christmas Sprinkles

 

It is officially cookie baking season, and while I am not keen on baking of any sort, cookies in particular, I do set my feelings aside in favor of Christmas cookies, the best cookies of the year! I don’t like cookies that are fiddly, but these get a pass because they require no special equipment other than a bowl and a spoon. They come together in no time, and if you don’t find rolling them into balls too tedious, you are going to be rewarded with wonderful buttery cookies full of mini chocolate chips and holiday sprinkles. These will be a beautiful addition to your cookie tray, and melt in your mouth delicious.

Chocolate Chip Butter Cookies with Christmas Sprinkles

Slightly adapted from moreorlesscooking.com

 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter

½ t. vanilla

2 c. flour

1 c. confectioners' sugar

½ c. Christmas sprinkles

1 c. mini semi sweet chocolate chips

 Preheat oven to 375ºF.

 In a microwave safe bowl, melt butter. Stir in vanilla; cool completely.

 In another bowl, combine flour and confectioners' sugar. Stir in the butter mixture, chocolate chips, and sprinkles. (The mixture will look very crumbly.)

 Shape into 1-inch balls. Place cookie dough balls on ungreased or Silpat-lined cookie sheet. Flatten a bit with the palm of your hand.

 Bake for 12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are brown. Let cool on a wire rack. 

 Makes about 2 dozen.

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Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies

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I don’t particularly like following directions, people who know me will tell you that. So when an online friend posted a recipe for these cookies a couple of weeks ago, I took one look at it and thought no, that’s not the way I’m going to make these. There was no almond flavoring, first of all. Cherries and almond flavoring go hand-in-hand. So I cut the amount of vanilla in half, and added double the amount of almond. Second (here’s a little tip for you if you are ever making any type of slice and bake cookie that contains chocolate chips), use mini chocolate chips. It is so much easier to slice.

That said, this is a marvelous recipe! It's like biting into a chocolate and cherry-studded cloud. Why I had maraschino cherries in my fridge is anybody’s guess (and let me tell you, if you spill maraschino cherry juice on the floor, you will be wiping up stickiness for the rest of your life, don’t ask me how I know), but I’m thankful that I did because I found these easy to deal with and tasty to boot. And look how pretty they are; they should be wonderful for the holiday season. Yes, it’s early, but I start thinking about the holidays in September. How about you?

 Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies

2 c. flour
½ t. salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
½ c. powdered sugar
½ t. vanilla extract
1 t. almond extract
¾ c. chopped maraschino cherries, well drained*
2/3 c. mini chocolate chips

Whisk together flour and salt; set aside.

Cream together butter and powdered sugar, 1-2 minutes; mix in extracts.

Add flour and salt mixture and mix until it starts forming a dough. Mix in chocolate chips and maraschino cherries.

Form the dough into a log, about 2” thick, compacting as you go to keep it from crumbling when you slice the cookies. Wrap securely in plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 325° F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat. Cut the log into 1/4“ thick slices, and place them onto the baking sheet 1” apart. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until they just start to turn lightly golden brown on top. Allowed to cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: 24 cookies

* spread cherries on paper towel to drain well

Chocolate Chip Buttercrunch Cookies

If you saw yesterday's blog post with that decadent hot beverage, Sweater Weather Swirl (If not, you must! Click here.), you may also have seen a pair of cookies next to the cup. I'd made those earlier in the week, and found them the perfect accompaniment for my hot spiked cocoa.

For someone who claims they don't like chocolate chip cookies all that much, I tend to make a lot of variations. This is my latest, and I think greatest, because it incorporates two of my favorite candies into one delicious cookie. I'm talking chocolate chips, broken up Butterfinger bars, as well as chocolate covered English toffee bits. Doesn't that sound heavenly? I also added nuts, but you can decide on your own if that's an addition that you'd like to make. You might want to give these a try if you have Halloween candy left over, they freeze beautifully, so consider making miniature ones to add to your holiday cookie tray. Whatever you do, try these!

Chocolate Chip Buttercrunch Cookies

​½ cup margarine - (1 stick)

½ cup butter - (1 stick)

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 ½ cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 cup mini chocolate chips

2/3 cup crushed Butterfinger bits

2/3 cup Heath Bits 'o Brickle

1 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Cream the margarine and butter with the brown and granulated sugars. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until fluffy.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt and add to the creamed mixture. Stir in the chocolate, Butterfinger bits, and Bits o Brickle  along with the nuts.

Drop rounded spoonfuls of batter 2 inches apart onto a baking sheet. Bake the cookies until they're pale golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes.

Makes about 48 cookies.

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